Politics of Forgetting
New Zealand, Greece and Britain at War
Published on 29. February 2020
Book
Paperback/Softback
432 pages
978-1-925984-21-7 (ISBN)
Description
New Zealand, with close ties to Britain, was heavily involved in the war against Nazi Germany on the battle lines in Greece, Crete, the Middle East, North Africa and Italy. The experience was eye-opening for the new emerging nation, and a lasting bond between New Zealand and Greece was formed.
Greece was a poor country in turmoil and pain during the 1940s. A military dictatorship was followed by invasion and terrifying occupation by Germany and its allies, starvation, civil war, political unrest and mutiny in its free military armed forces. New Zealand entered this arena and found a bond with a people that it still celebrates to this day. Absent is the complex, divisive and sometimes violent and surreal relationship between the two countries and the inescapable influence of Britain. Their story stretches from the mountains and open country of Greece and Crete to Middle East deserts, autumn-swept plains of Italy, and the blood-splattered streets of post-liberated Athens. Ironically New Zealand has forgotten the unpalatable but also sacrificed something that would have enhanced its own national storytelling about the war.
Greece was a poor country in turmoil and pain during the 1940s. A military dictatorship was followed by invasion and terrifying occupation by Germany and its allies, starvation, civil war, political unrest and mutiny in its free military armed forces. New Zealand entered this arena and found a bond with a people that it still celebrates to this day. Absent is the complex, divisive and sometimes violent and surreal relationship between the two countries and the inescapable influence of Britain. Their story stretches from the mountains and open country of Greece and Crete to Middle East deserts, autumn-swept plains of Italy, and the blood-splattered streets of post-liberated Athens. Ironically New Zealand has forgotten the unpalatable but also sacrificed something that would have enhanced its own national storytelling about the war.
Reviews / Votes
Overall Brown's book provides an excellent contribution to the field of New Zealand military and diplomatic history, demonstrating the role of politics in the formation of memory coming out of the Second World War. * Journal of Military History *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Kew, VIC
Australia
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-925984-21-7 (9781925984217)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
Martyn Brown is an Honorary Research Fellow at the School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry University of Queensland. He has also held an honorary position at the Stout Research Centre for New Zealand Studies, Victoria University of Wellington. His investigation into the New Zealand-Greek wartime connection has led to academic and popular articles being published in New Zealand, Australia, the USA and Greece. He has also researched, written and co-produced a radio documentary on the mass political uprising of the free Greek military forces in April 1944.